MovieChat Forums > The Stöned Age (1994) Discussion > Time period...

Time period...

posted 20 years ago by xstrym
49 replies | jump to latest

I think this movie was set in the '90s... I am sure of it! The alleged anachronisms stated in the "goofs" section of this pages credits are not accurate. You can see '90s style cars because it is SET in the '90s!

People listened to the type of music that the stoners listened to in the late '80s and early nineties... and lots of people were starting to listen to disco again during that timeframe. There were a few different shirts that had phrases on them that originated or were popularized in the '80s/'90s (NO FAT CHICKS, ADIDAS, ETC.)

So, can anyone provide proof that this is set in the '70s?

And certainly, no post about this movie would be complete without mentioning Reneé Griffin! What a friggin' hottie!! Wish she did more for the world by continuing her acting career! Particularly the topless scenes! God bless Hubbs (Brad Tatum) for getting some of that for all of us!! :)

x

[–] patbuddha 20 years ago

Damn! I'm going to have to watch this again to see if there is any definitive proof. I'm guessing the lack of overt references to anything from the 90s might be a big tip off, but not necessarily concrete proof. I can't remember anything in the movie that mentions specific dates. You could almost make an argument either way.

Although I'm guessing Blue Oyster Cult probably hasn't played a venue as large as the one in the movie in years. But I don't know that for certain.

[–] xstrym 20 years ago

BOC is one element that gets me, too. You're right... they probably didn't play to something that large in the late '80s/early nineties, but I can't confirm that.

[–] Wurmis 20 years ago

There was the Dukes of Hazzard reference (Hankey's favorite show). Dukes first aired in January of 1979 and ran through February of 1985. If Stoned Age did take place in the 70s it would have been the last year of said decade.

It didn't seem to me as if Hankey was watching the show in syndication; the time frame would have been during Prime Time TV. I recall the Dukes airing in reruns during Daytime TV at some brief time in the late 80s, but not on Prime Time.

[–] danaisgone 20 years ago

um it was the seventies guys.. i don't think it needs to be spelled out for you.

as for the cars being from the 90's.. this movie was obviously made on the cheap. it's tough to get a bunch of 70's cars together.. not to mention expensive.

But yeah, no fat chicks? my dad had that t shirt in like 73.. and adidas has been around for ever.

i mean, look at how hankey is dressed. and the fact that they still have 8 tracks and the stereo they use in the girls house isn't exactly equipped with a cd player.

plus that ehm... effeminate liqour store working dude. I mean come on.. only in the seventies.

visit www.geocities.com/jimmyraylovefiasco

[–] dbyrne010010 20 years ago

haha...your dad had that shirt....yeah i'm sure the dukes of hazzard thing was just an anachronism...it's like dazed and confused, which shows coke logos that weren't introduced until '85, and the misfits skull on that motorcyclist before they were even a band. it's just tough to make a past setting film without having a few flaws...if you think, their budget was only about $1,000,000...so they did a pretty damn good job. so yeah, i totally see how you're skeptical of the time frame...i am as well.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] JR541 20 years ago

I also hadn't read your post until after I said "about 1980".

[–] david11982 18 years ago

Someone mentioned the Misfits logo appearing in Dazed and Confused. That was not a goof, because the logo did not come from the Misfits. It came from The Crimson Ghost, a movie from 1946. It was also a very popular thing to put on the back of leather motorcycle jackets during the 1960's.

Just one more thing to consider about the budgets of these films: American Graffiti (which I consider similar in theme and setting to D&C and Stoned Age) was made for $750,000 in 1973, which would have been equivalent to about $2,000,000 in the early 1990's. It made nearly $100,000,000 at the box office. Until The Blair Witch Project, it had the highest profit/cost ratio of any film ever.

[–] salival138 18 years ago

The Misfits have been around since the 70's. D&C took place in the summer of 76. The Misfits were a band at that time. Not sure of popularity though.

10,000 days in the fire is long enough, you're going home.-TooL

[–] JR541 20 years ago

The era was supposed to be about 1980. The Disco guy is a big clue as to its time era but he could be just a nut that thinks its the 70s. Biggest clue? The clothes. Tack is wearing late 70s/Early 80s stuff like that vest. Jill is also very 70s in style . Joe and Hubbs also are way into 70s groups and even attended a Blue Oyster Cult concert in CA.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] gplechuckIII 20 years ago

Ok, I know it doesn't really matter based on a couple of years one way or the other. But I always tell people that this movie takes place in 1981, and here's why;

The song "Burnin' for you" off the album "Fire of Unknown Origin" came out in 1981, it's palying in the backround when Hubbs and Lanie are having sex. Also a tour t-shirt from that tour, "An Enchanted Tour" is on the passengers side seat of the Blue Torpedo. (I can't believe I know this stuff now that I think about it, I'm such a dork, Oh well)

Of course Dukes of Hazzard came out in like September of 1979, It's obviously summer time due to refernces of doing the same thing night after night, Lanie and Jill coming down for a week, and Joe and Jill talking about being a senior "Next Year".

Finally there is the fact that when they stop to get gas Joe says, "Five bucks worth of Dinosaur juice." Then Hubbs says, "Nah, four bucks and a pack of Reds"
(A.K.A Marlboros) Now I know cigarettes were A LOT cheaper ten years ago but not that cheap. If a remember correctly Ten years ago (In Pennsylvania at least)
you were doing ok if you got name brands for about $1.90 to about $2.35. and Ten years before that 95 cents was about normal. And Ten years before that if you payed more than 75 cents you were getting ripped off. So a buck would be about right.

So in conclusion I've seen this movie way too many times.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] 20 years ago

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[–] neilod24 19 years ago

The time period was suppose to be late 70's, however there are several goofs, like the 90s cars going past. You would have to be paying attention to notice it. However, you would have to be paying even closer attention to notice hanging on the door of the liquor store, there is poster for Malboro Cigarettes, that states " Get the Miles Get the Gear." A huge promotion Malboro was doing during the early to mid 90's. Awesome moive though.

" You got a plan tonight man or what?"

[–] ArsenalGunnerz 19 years ago

i dunno.. but I sure could go for a cold Ox .45 right about now. Mmmmmmmmm.

[–] Balmudo 19 years ago

Did any of you, except for the ones who mention the commentary, even watch the movie? I don't mean on USA. There's a scroll at the beginning that firmly states it was the late 70's. For the love of China Kantner, the early 90's? Those kind of nostalgic movies are still a few years away, thank god.

[–] autobot_prime_1979 18 years ago

I wached this flick about 50,000 times on Skinemax back in high school, and every time there was the scrolling and the voiceover at the beginning. the scrollng text was in gothic metal style lettering, and bolth it and the voice said it took place in the "waistland of the 1970's". Even though i never saw the 90's cars in the background, I knew the Dukes of Hazard and the plastic Sunny D bottle used to mix the Schnappster were total goofs. But none of that detracted from Tack beeing such a pud. lol.

[–] DirtyGrainius 19 years ago

Do any of you who aren't sure of the time period pay attention to anything whatsoever? Someone already came on here and told you - THE DIRECTOR SAID IT TAKES PLACE IN 1978!!!! And people are still debating. This is just proof of why this was a bad movie.

"....Not Only Was It Authentic Frontier Jibberish..."

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] tropicallondon 18 years ago

You guys seems to have a pretty general consensus on this, but I thought I'd throw my two cents in. Even if you didn't read the goofs section for this movie (of which there are PLENTY for this), there is a lot you can catch just by watching the movie that points to it being set in the 70's or 80's.

- The BOC concert and "that pig at the Floyd show" are pretty much all you need to realize this happened in the 70's. As pointed out by earlier posts, the venue thing is a give away too (which I didn't even think about).

- Lanie says Hubbs looks like Ritchie Blackmore of Rainbow. I don't care how into music you are, no standard Californian of the 90's gave a *beep* about Rainbow or Ritchie Blackmore.

- The liquor store clerk is obviously a symbol of disco, and while that doesn't MAKE it have to be in the 70s/80s...it's another good sign.

- The Frankie Avalon place is another quasi clue, because much like Rainbow, who the hell would care about or recognize Frankie Avalon?

Again, this isn't ALL of the evidence but it's some pretty obvious stuff that I caught, and it's still funny whatever period it's set in. Actually, I thought it was in the 90s until I watched it the third or fourth time and caught all of that...and in my opinion it's funnier if they're all these burned out stoners and metal heads 20 years after it was cool.

[–] burvegas 18 years ago

8 tracks and the Dukes of Hazzard, there you go, 1978 end of discussion!

[–] JR541 18 years ago

Dukes Of Hazzard began in 1979. Discussion restarted.

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] mrpeter20 18 years ago

HAHAHA... I am peeing myself here this thread is so funny. Why are you guys even debating this. The movie says it is set in the 70's and this has been pointed out many times in the thread. Plus everything from wardrobe to music to the houses interior decor (to some extent) all represent the 70's. THe key to remember is the movie is insanely low budget! All of the later year cross references are purely oversight and unavoidable. FOr instance had George Lucas made this film you would be sure that all of the music would have been relevant to the exact year not just the time frame.

References like Dukes of Hazard and later BOC songs do not mean the film is set in the 80's. You guys are reading way into this. Simply the Dukes and BOC are synonymous with the 70's therefore they fit. The same thing with music. I am sure the directors just figured tracks were popular or easy to get the rights to and added them without checking to make sure they were relevant. Anyway I can't believe I am talking about this. It is absurd!

[–] TeknoJunkie 18 years ago

yeh man i agree with the dude above, chill out guys stop looking into this film so seriously man

HACK THE PLANET WITH MY POWER GLOVE

[–] JR541 18 years ago

Actually I agree with mrpeter20 about the time setting in the film. The only reason I said "Discussion restarted" is because the previous poster brazenly and so assuredly stated "Dukes of Hazzard, there you go, 1978 end of discussion!" and he was wrong because "Dukes" started in 1979. If you are going to say "end of discussion" then you better be right. He wasn't

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] Rayvyn 18 years ago

I knew that it was set in the late 70s or early 80s the minute I saw it. That's because I just remember the stoner culture back then. I hate that it's called the "Stoned Age". Most kids that age weren't stoners. At least Shreveport, LA and Oakland, CA.

Rayvyn

[–] reiko_loveday 18 years ago

How many people do you know that were still using 8 track tapes in the '90s?

Besides like was mentioned a few times before, the DVD said it was supposed to be 1978 and yes I know the dukes of hazards didn't start until '79 like somebody said but that could just be a mistake in the movie.

[–] drusucks 18 years ago

It spans the era of 2013 through 2078. And if that doesn't make sense then you just aren't paying attention.

"$1 for eternal happiness? I'd be happier with the dollar."

[–] lincolnhawkott 17 years ago

You're MOSTLY right...to be a little more specific, it takes place from May of 2013 through early January of 2078 (as evidenced by the deleted scene wherin the members of BOC celebrate New Year's with Joe in the rotating mansion on Qualnark-73)

[–] JR541 17 years ago

I weep for the future.

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] Miketada6116 18 years ago

Actually, in 1994 my parents were driving a piece of sh*t car with an 8-track player... the guy who sold it to them left a bunch of 8-track cassettes in the trunk. I listened to it quite a bit.

[–] MikeNewYork 18 years ago

Ha ha, this discussion is entertaining and interesting, that's for sure. But to all the critics here: I wonder if you can't just enjoy this cheap but awesome movie without constantly paying attention to its shortcomings which don't spoil the fun whatsoever! Yeah, there are some goofs but to be honest: Cars that weren't produced until 198X?! Nerdy sh*t! And to be even more honest: I couldn't care less. Mistakes like these are made in most big budget Hollywood flicks. Besides, "The Stoned Age" makes up for all its goofs by countless details and lines which make repeated viewings so enjoyable.

BTW, does anyone know "Jerky Boys", that other movie by James Melkonian? Is it any good?

[–] dlriz 18 years ago

I seen BOC in a stadium near DC in 1978 they were headlining and played dont fear the reaper (and GODZILLA my fav back then) the stadium no longer exists though. I would say that is the time period of this film.

[–] tomisinthehouse 17 years ago

There is no reason to debate the time era anymore. I have it all figured out.

for one thing - the whole Dukes of Hazard debate shows it was filmed in Era 1983, Tack's friend wants to stay home and watch the show. The episodes were new prime time episodes, but the show had the NEW BO and LUKE. at that time most viewers did not want to watch Dukes anymore. The show sucked. But there was a dork who didn't care around the country.

for one thing - There were alot of references to "you look like this person". or "you remind me of a person" Well in my opinion "JOE" was suppose to represent "Dave Mustaine" of Megadeth, the poor guy who got kicked out of Metallica in 1983.He even looks just like Dave.

for one thing - When Joe tells Lanie she looks like the "virgin Killer" album cover, what he means is she has grown up and at 18, she is really hot. The cover was a 11 year old (1976) 7 years later she is all grown up in "1983" at 18 years old and totally legal.

plus Tack wore that feather filled vest. It was first sold in 82/83 after the the 1970's leather vest lost popularity.

maybe I don't have it all figured out. what do you think?